(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat exchanger and the method for making a heat exchanger of the type having a core with front and rear faces and a plurality of tubes parallel to the faces and a plurality of heat exchange fins extending transversely to the faces and the tubes respectively and interconnecting the tubes. There is often a requirement that there be access through the heat exchanger core from one face to the other. Typical of such a requirement are radiators for cooling engines in industrial and agricultural vehicles. It is frequently necessary to provide an access hole through the radiator in such a vehicle to provide access to the rotating engine crankshaft or power takeoff for extracting engine power through the access hole in the radiator to drive various auxiliary devices or machines.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Such power takeoff or accessory holes have been provided in radiators by placing a hole through the radiator core by removing a portion of the fins and lengths of the tubes with the downwardly facing openings in the tubes in fluid communication with a small tank and the upwardly facing ends of the tubes in fluid communication with a second small tank. The two small tanks are interconnected by tubes or passages disposed near the sides of the opening.
The problem with such assemblies are that there is not sufficient room for all of the tubes adjacent the sides of the opening to be in fluid communication with the respective upper and lower tanks and therefore these tubes are sealed off and are not effective for cooling. Additionally, the flow from the upper tank to the lower tank is somewhat restricted. Further, the construction requires a relatively large number of parts and incurs high labor expenses in fabrication.